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I’m too happy, too eager to breathe in every second that I get to spend with them. I’ll sleep when I get home. It’s all I do these days, anyway. Sleep, eat, do yoga, and wait for the time to pass, for the nightmare to be over.
It’s cool out here in the early morning, but I welcome the crisp breeze on my face. It makes my dress flutter. It tickles my skin and it runs through my hair. It’s the kind of freedom I rarely get to experience. This single flicker in time when everything seems perfect. All I can do is take deep breaths and taste the ocean’s kiss on my lips as I try to imagine how the future might possibly play out.
I dare to dream that we’ll survive what’s coming.
I dare to dream that Colton Harrow will rot in jail along with his Black Devils. That the Blackthorn Riders will rise from these ashes, stronger and better than ever, headed down a path of goodness, of kindness, and devotion to the community of Orange County. These people have had enough to deal with for so long that they could use a break. They would welcome the peace.
Orion, Drake, and Kai are losing a lot in this war. They are losing comrades, opportunities, and the respect of their peers. It’s worth it in the long run, and I know that, but it still pains me to see them go through these motions. If only there were easier ways to fix this, but I know there aren’t.
The club has always had ties to organized crime, drug dealers, and gun runners. They made money off these folks, and sure, a lot of that money went back to the community, but they also supported the vicious cycle that ultimately allowed a monster like Colton Harrow to step in and wreak havoc.
“Patience,” I tell myself as I go for a lazy stroll down the beach.
Patience. It’s been in short supply lately. My hormones haven’t been helping, either. I go from one mood to the complete opposite in a matter of minutes. It’s probably why I got into it with my dad last night, though I don’t regret the things I said to him. He needed to hear the uncomfortable truth because he’s been running away from it for too long while I’ve been forced to deal with reality, one day at a time.
“Nadia!” a nasal voice has me turning around.
“What the …” I mumble as I watch Carla running toward me.
This is a private beach, a natural beach guarded by tall trees and lush greenery. From where I'm standing, I can’t even see hints of civilization—just the ocean and the sand—yet Carla had to have popped out of somewhere.
What is she doing here?
Alarm bells start ringing in the back of my head as I take a moment to analyze her carefully.
She slows down, a broad smile stretching across her face. “Sorry I didn’t mean to startle you,” she says.
“How’d you get here?” I ask, my skin suddenly crawling, my nerves on edge.
“Oh, I was just out for a jog,” she says, matter-of-factly. She’s wearing a tracksuit to back up her claim but I’m still apprehensive.
“Out here? By Drake’s beach house? Fifty miles north of Anaheim?” I ask, reasonable suspicion creeping in.
She laughs lightly. “Yeah, silly. I knew Drake had a place here. My mom lives just down the road, actually, half a mile away. I come to see her once in a while.”
“I didn’t know your mom was still alive. Or that you kept in touch.”
“We have a difficult relationship, I’ll admit. But she’s the only family I’ve got left, and honestly, I’ve been thinking about quitting the strip club and all that crap,” Carla replies. “Want to go for a walk?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Oh, come on, it’s no biggie. I owe you a huge apology, anyway,” she says, then hooks her arm around mine and pulls me along the shoreline. “I’ve been such a bitch to you, Nadia. It wasn’t fair to you.”
“I’m getting a déjà vu feeling here,” I mutter.
“Yeah, because I keep doing the same stupid thing over and over again,” she says, then gives me an inquisitive look. “Hold on, what are you doing up here?” She pauses and gasps. “You were with them.” Her eyes narrow.
My blood runs cold, and my instincts tell me to lie through my teeth. “Actually, no, it’s not like that. I was just worried about them. They told me they were staying here for the day.”
“Right, right,” she snorts a dry chuckle. “And my dad’s the frickin’ pope. Relax, Nadia, I know how the three of them work. Remember, I was there before you.”
The very thought of that makes me feel kind of queasy. “No one can know,” I tell her. “And you should keep your distance from them, too.”
“Well, I got banned from the clubhouse, remember?”
“I’m serious,” I reply. “That Colton dude is insane. He’s dangerous. I’m sure you’ve heard about the clubhouse shooting.”
“I went there shortly after it happened,” Carla nods, her smile fading. A peculiar darkness settles in her eyes as she gazes somewhere far ahead. “There’s no stopping the Black Devils. I see that now.”
